DVD Review: Sean Hanna Essential Styling Professional Secrets

November 8, 2009 |

I was sent this DVD by a PR lady to watch and review a week or two ago and I finally got round to it this week.

I love make up and hair DVD’s – Japanese beauty magazines occasionally give some away for free and I have also bought some in the past – one by Alexis Vogel (LOL) and another fantastic one I will tell you about later this week.

I think that with the success of YouTube, there isn’t really much need to pay for a DVD with hair and beauty tips unless it truly is something unique, unseen and completely professional.

So the DVD I was sent is called Essential Styling by Sean Hanna – an award winning hairdresser.

There were 2 DVDs in the case – one for hair cleansing and one for hair styling.Each DVD is split into three hair lengths – short, medium and long. My hair was classed in the Medium as its just below the shoulders (sob, sob to hair butchery).

The first DVD for essential cleansing (30min), is the best DVD. Going through everything step by step, it tells us how to properly cleanse the hair using shampoo and conditioner. I guess most people aren’t really taught how to do a proper shampoo, we just use our noses.

What I learnt is that –

1. I use too much shampoo

2. I don’t wet my head properly before adding shampoo

3. I don’t step out of the stream of water to do the massage which I should be doing, but I don’t like doing, cos it gets cold

4. I use too much conditioner

5. I am applying conditioner to too many places

Basically, I am doing 99% things wrong.

A few criticisms about this section –

* I totally, 100% get why what is shown on the DVD is the proper and ideal way to wash the hair, but heres the thing – it takes ages. Wash, work in, emulsify, rinse, repeat.

Perhaps it just looked slow in the DVD – it is a bit quicker to do in real life, but to be honest still time consuming when you know the combi-boiler is going to give out at any moment.

Plus I wash my hair every day, occasionally at a stretch, every other day so I am seriously not going through the long cleansing process every day.

* The model is not in a 50cm x 50 cm shower, she’s in an endless expanse of space clearly, which means she can walk out in and out of the shower etc. Ok, I’m just jealous.

The good…

* I know I moaned about it, but the DVD is seriously a real eye opener anyway, well worth watching as I’ve picked up some tips there that I have already been using day to day. It helps to know how to cleanse properly when you have scalp problems like me.

The Styling DVD

Once again we are split into hair lengths. I watched the medium length one and it covered how to do curly hair and straight hair. (Total running time 50min)

*takes double dose of valium*

I have always said – there are 2 things I am pretty crap at – doing my nails and doing my hair. My nails because if I get the slightest smudge, it will all come off and my hair, because I don’t have the time or patience to sort it out.

But even I know how to curl my hair and how to straighten it. The hair curling is doing with a hair straightener – I think a lot of us girls (not all) know how to do this anyway because GHD has been through the technique on their site as well as thousands of YouTubers.

I was expecting more than the basics – bearing in mind that this is a pay for DVD.

In my heart of hearts, I was honestly expecting one or two up-dos – I am terrible at them so including that would have changed my entire perspective on the DVD. It has to be something I can’t do/wouldn’t normally attempt – myself.

If I am honest – the curly hair result is too dated – not really a soft lazy-beach wave, more spirally..*takes more valium*

The DVD recommends specific products too (it clearly states they are not sponsored by any brands) which I like. They use a lot of L’oreal Kerastase.

Verdict:

Like I mentioned earlier I got this DVD free to review – I went to check out the price and its £15.99 from here.

Is it beautifully shot? Yes

Is it clear with its instructions? Yes

Would I pay £15.99 for the DVD? No

The best DVD by far is the hair cleansing one – I did pick up tips and learn from it and its not anything I could find on YouTube etc.

The styling DVD I would recommended for the ladies who are beginners with hair and want to learn how to do the basics or perhaps a teenager. HOWEVER – it is not something you can’t find for free on You Tube.

What can I say? I think women are a lot more savvy these days, whether its hair, nails or make up. The pros are going to have to work just a little bit harder for out moolah.

Either way, this is the kind of DVD I would watch once or twice, then pass on to a friend to hopefully pick up on some tips.

Comments

oh I also learned that I use too much conditioner….so now I try to use it only on the end of my hair. not close to the scalp or it will make it greasy. But now I wonder what I do wrong when shampooing! >_<